Happy Life Day, Kylo Ren
by TooBusyHuntingDragons
Summary: Rey realizes it's the night before Life Day and it feels like she's the only one in the galaxy spending it alone. But a Force connection reminds her that there is indeed someone else alone on Life Day who needs company just as much as she does. - Some Christmas Eve Reylo Fluff -


Rey was not entirely sure what the Galactic standard date was anymore. Her days of training seemed to blur together so seamlessly that she measured the passage of time in milestones in her training rather than rotations of the planet she was on. But as she returned to the Resistance base one evening, the excited chatter murmuring through the resistance fighters brought her back to what day it was.

"Life Day is tomorrow?" she asked one of the pilots, overhearing him voicing his anticipation to his co-pilot.

"It sure is. General Organa has given me leave to see my family tomorrow," he replied. Rey tried to remain impassive but could not stop the twitch of a frown on her features at the pilot's revelation. Rey had known about Life Day since she was a child, but the galaxy-wide celebration was no big deal on Jakku. In fact, Rey had never had a proper Life Day. She couldn't even remember if she'd ever even received a gift. Excusing herself from the conversation, Rey quickly headed for her quarters. After learning the date, she became aware of how few resistance fighters were around. It seemed many had taken the opportunity to spend scarce time with their families. The thought made Rey even more dismal. She didn't even have Finn and Poe to celebrate with, as they were away on a mission, and Chewie had briefly returned to Kashyyyk for the holiday. Rey couldn't help wondering how many nobodies in the galaxy had celebrated countless Life Days the same as she had- alone. And how many would continue to.

Rey flopped down on her bed, her eyes wandering to the small window giving her a view out over the jungle. The sun was setting, casting a warm light over the trees. Rey breathed deeply, reaching out the sense the forest around her. It was impossible to not feel the joyous emotions radiating from those on the base drifting through the Force. Rey closed her eyes, the sunset warm on her eyelids. Suddenly, a spark of sadness flashed through the joy. Then another. A teardrop hastily wiped away by a dark gloved hand. There was another presence in the room. Rey sat up and slowly looked across her sparsely furnished room. There, in another place far, far away from her was another sparse room, furnished in harsh blacks and bright whites. A dark clad figure sat facing a window, wrapped in a dark cloak, their head drooped. Rey had found the source of the sad sparks burning through the Force.

"Ben?"

The figure's head jolted up, and the dark gloved hand quickly raised to his eyes, wiping furiously.

"What are you doing?" hissed Kylo Ren's distinctive deep voice.

"You think I do this on purpose?" Rey replied. Kylo tentatively turned his head away from the window, his dark eyes cautiously falling on Rey. He had tried valiantly to hide his tears, and Rey might have missed the fact he had been crying if she could not feel the pain rolling off the conflicted Supreme Leader.

"Are you…okay?" she asked hesitantly, off put by the man's clearly upset state.

"I'm fine," he hissed. The way he conveyed his words clearly told her he was not. Rey caught a glimpse of something in his hand. It was a set of dice connected by a chain, identical to the ones that hung in the Millennium Falcon. Rey quickly put together what had shaken Kylo Ren.

"Those were a Life Day gift, weren't they," she said, "From your father."

The words sounded more accusatory than she had intended.

"It's none of your business what they are," Kylo Ren snarled at her before quickly turning away again.

There was a long, uncomfortable silence between them. Rey cautiously stood and approached the Supreme Leader. She saw his body tighten anxiously as she approached.

"You're alone," Kylo said, "On Life Day Eve."

"So are you."

"I'm used to that."

"So am I."

Kylo Ren turned around, standing up himself. Rey had forgotten how tall he was, though his height seemed diminished by his sad state.

"Don't you have your troublesome Resistance friends to celebrate with?" he asked.

"I do. But who do you have?"

Kylo remained silent. The unspoken memory of the touching her their hands flickered between them, followed by the memory of the outstretched hand that was never taken. A strange empathy rose in Rey for the man in front of her. This wasn't Kylo Ren. This was Ben Solo, sad and alone on Life Day. An idea darted into Rey's mind. She quickly moved to her dresser where she kept the very few belongings she had. She felt Ben's eyes on her curiously. She rummaged through the drawer till her hands closed around a small box. She withdrew the box and turned back to Ben, who in all his wisdom in the Force could not contemplate what she was doing. With her hands trembling ever so slightly, Rey held out the box to Ben. He looked to it, then back to her, unsure of what he was supposed to do.

"Take it," Rey said.

Like a cautious animal, Ben slowly took the box from Rey's hand. Their hands touched for the briefest second, flaring the memory of the night on Ahch-To.

Ben examined the box a little before finding the clasp to open it. The box popped open, and inside was a single piece of dark jungle wood, etched into a wonky rendition of the Millennium Falcon. Rey had made it during her time training on the forested planet and had originally intended to give it to Leia. But something told her that her misguided son needed it more. Rey felt the wave of melancholy thoughts wash over Ben Solo, but at their heart was a joy greater than he had felt in a long time.

"Why?" he said, his voice barely more than a whisper.

"Everyone deserves a present on Life Day," Rey said, "Even you."

His dark eyes lifted from the little Falcon to Rey, softer and more affectionate than Rey had ever seen. She had not even been sure he had been capable of such an expression. Ben reached down produced something on his own in his palm and held it out to Rey. It was his dice.

"Ben…I,"

Rey was too shocked to even take them. Ben took her hand was surprising gentleness and placed the dice in her palm, folding her fingers over them.

"Don't you even think about telling anyone though," he said, his voice a soft rumble, "Or you'll regret it."  
He had tried to make it a threat, but it seemed empty after such an act of kindness. Rey held the dice closely in her hand.

"Thank you," she said, still somewhat startled. Ben Solo sighed,

"Alone on Life Day," he mused.

"Alone on Life Day," Rey affirmed, "But maybe…"

Ben Solo looked at her quizzically,

"We can be alone on Life Day together," she added.

Suddenly, Ben Solo disappeared from view as suddenly as he had appeared. Yet the dice remained in Rey's hands. But in the emptiness of her room, there was still a faint thread hanging between them, like a phantom spiderweb drifting in the cosmic winds of the Force. And through that thread, Rey could feel the faint echoes of someone who was smiling on Life Day Eve for the first time in many years.

And he too, could likely feel the same.


End file.
